Gregor and the Prophecy of Betrayal
by Gray-Eyed Charlatan
Summary: Another one of those, "Hey, what happens after?" stories, except mine is better than most, I promise. Rated T for violence, "suggestive themes" -and a chat about Howard's sexuality-, and major ANGST! Not to worry, my friends, it'll get more interesting.
1. Chapter 1

**Gregor and the Prophecy of Betrayal **by: AnnabethandPercy4Ever

Rating: T  
(Violence and "Suggestive Themes" and Some Language and Teen Angst)

Chapter Uno

"Luxa!" Gregor mumbled. "Luxa!" He was tossing and turning in his room, trying to sleep. "Luxa!" He thought he heard a rustle of something in his doorway, so he bolted upright and hit his head on his headboard, which caused quite a noise. "Ow... Luxa?" He peered around in the semidarkness. "Oh, yeah. I'm in New York. Right." He punched his pillow, and then laid back down. "Luxa..." He looked out his window, at the cars honking at each other in the early morning duskiness. "Luxa..." Footsteps. Was it Luxa? Gregor sat up again and pulled his blanket over his smiley face boxers. Luxa wouldn't want to see that. Or would she?

"Gregor honey? Are you awake?" His mom, Grace, walked over to Gregor and smoothed his hair from his forehead. "I heard a thunk in here, so I decided that I'd see if you were okay." She started rubbing the purple scar on her cheek.

"Mom, were you awake?" Gregor asked blearily.

"It's nearly eight." Gregor looked out the window again. It wasn't nearly light enough to be 8:00 AM! "At night."

"I've been sleeping this entire time?!" It was the second day back from the Underland, and they had all gotten to bed late. But Gregor had been sleeping for nearly twenty-two hours! His stomach growled menacingly. "I'm hungry."

His mom ruffled his hair. "I bet you are. Mrs. Cormaci stayed late tonight. Want some pot roast?"

"Yeah. Be there in a sec." His mom smiled at him, which made the purple scar on her cheek bend. Then she steadied herself against a wall and hobbled out. Gregor shook his head after she was gone. His mom was so weak- a shadow of her former self. Whenever Gregor looked at her, he felt it was his fault that she was still not very healthy.

He threw on a shirt and some shorts and padded into the kitchen for "breakfast."

"Goodnight," Lizzie laughed as he walked past. He ruffled her hair.

"Yeah, whatever. Maybe people are supposed to sleep at night, Liz."

He sat down at the table and Mrs. Cormaci smiled at him. "Hello, mister. You slept in for awhile, now didn't you?" She dug in the fridge until she found the pot roast, which she, in turn, put in the microwave. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Gregor could tell that he said it too quickly.

Mrs. Cormaci's eyes narrowed. "You're not thinking about going down there again, are you?"

"No! Why would I- Why would- Why-"

"You are not going down there! You almost got yourself killed dozens of times! You look like a scratching post right now! The Underland is too dangerous for you!"

Gregor's temper flared. "Yeah? How would you know?! You've never been down there! You don't know them! They need my help! The Underlanders need me! In fact, I'm going now! I'm going to go back down right-"

_DING!_ "No, you're not. Now eat." A plate was shoved in front of Gregor's face.

Gregor's dad walked into the room. "Is everything alright? I heard yelling."

"He's just tired. Don't worry." Mrs. Cormaci smiled at his dad.

"Okay. Careful, Gregor. Don't go yelling at everyone."

"I won't, Dad. I lost control," Gregor said miserably between mouthfuls of food.

"Don't lose control," Mrs. Cormaci said firmly.

* * *

"Gregor, go to bed. It's three in the morning." Grace seemed barely conscious.

"No, Mom! I'm not tired! I just got up at eight last night, remember? I'm wide awake!"

"Gregor. Your mutterings are waking us all up. Go. To. Bed." She gave a huge yawn.

"Fine. Good night." Gregor didn't want his mom to strain herself.

"Night." She left his room.

Gregor looked at his dilapidated ceiling. It looked like it was about to cave in. Suddenly, his temper flared again. It wasn't fair for his family to have all the problems! They were poor! Both of his parents were sick! His sister was very fragile and was prone to panic attacks! His other sister went around talking to bugs and undesirable creatures and told outlandish stories about things that weren't supposed to exist! He himself had an uncontrollable killing sense that came up whenever-

"Like now," Gregor whispered to himself. It was true. He felt the familiar buzzing. To take out his anger, snarled quietly and threw his pillow at his closet. He still wasn't satisfied. "I need to get out of here!" He crept into the kitchen.

A voice came from outside their apartment door. From the hallway. "-and kill the creatures down there!" What?

"How do you know they even exist, Cormaci?" The second voice he heard had a slight Italian accent. "Have you ever been to the Belowland?"

"Underland." Gregor's heart rose into his throat. There was no mistaking Mrs. Cormaci's voice. "It's full of terrible bloodthirsty animals that want to invade this here Overland." What was she saying?! "They need to be extinguished, along with all of the uncivilized humans down there." Luxa! He needed to warn her! "Send your boys down to my laundry room. We'll end the Underland once and for all."

"I still don't believe you. Why do you even want to get rid of them?"

"It's for the good of the world, Mr. Di Rocco. You'll believe me once you see what's down there."

"Should my boys bring weapons?"

"Yes! Have all of them bring every single weapon they own!"

Gregor sidled away from the door, mortified. What had just happened?! Mrs. Cormaci, their nice neighbor who helped them out in their biggest times of need. Yeah, right. One thing was for certain.

Gregor needed to get down there, and fast.

* * *

**Okay, okay. I know it's a bit far-fetched right now. Oh well. Deal with it! It gets better, I promise. Review!**

**I always forget this: No, I do not own the Underland Chronicles series.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Gregor and the Prophecy of Betrayal **by: AnnabethandPercy4Ever

Rating: T  
(Violence and "Suggestive Themes" and Some Language and Teen Angst)

Chapter Dos **(Warning: Characters get veeeery OOC. They may stay that way the entire story.)**

"Luxa! I'm-I'm here!" Gregor's panting voice rang throughout the High Hall. "Big...problem."

"Gregor? You're back? How did you come? Is your family with you?" Luxa broke the awkward silence.

"Slipped... through... laundry grate. Ran... all the way... here. Very... tired."

"Why are you here?" She sounded really curious!

"Mrs. Cormaci... planning... kill... everyone... here... in... Underland..."

"What?" everyone in the room gasped.

"I'm not joking!" Gregor took a few deep breaths, and soon his heart rate was back to normal. "And I found this, Luxa, in the hallway." He put a hand in the backpack he was wearing and retrieved a small stone plaque engraved with a few paragraphs. It seemed like a poem.

"Oh, no," moaned Ripred, who Gregor realized was standing directly behind him. "I thought we had all of them!"

"What, poems?" Gregor asked flippantly.

"Did you... read it, little ex-warrior?"

"Uh, no, I needed to warn you guys about my crazy neighbor! Hello, I didn't have much time!" Gregor finally looked carefully at the plaque. Words were chiseled on it. He had noticed that before! But... he recognized the handwriting.

"Sandwich!" Howard cried, coming into the room.

"Yeah, Sandwich wrote it!" Luxa said.

"Who wants a sandwich?" Everyone noticed that he was carrying a platter of sandwiches.

"Come on!" Ripred complained. "Anyway, read the prophecy, Overlander!"

"Okay. I'll read it." Gregor cleared his throat and began to declare as if he was reading Shakespeare,

**"The Prophecy of Betrayal**

_The warrior is back  
He gives warning of attack  
None ever saw it coming  
The siege that has been humming  
The world is turning black_

_You need a plan to thwart  
The attackers in their fort  
One can solve the mystery  
Of the terrifying history  
They are your last resort_

_The princess, she does not return  
Although you may rather yearn  
For her aid in solving trouble  
And rebuilding of the rubble  
She is none of your concern_

_The queen will make a choice  
She must speak up her voice  
Or all will be extinguished  
In the world of those distinguished  
All under will rejoice."_

"Ooh, creepy," said Howard.

"Very creepy!" Luxa said. "Very creepy indeed, Howard!"

"Another prophecy!" Gregor laughed. "And to think that it was just lying there outside the prophecy room!" Everyone glared at him. "What?"

Luxa said icily, "You found what you thought was a poem just lying outside the prophecy room and didn't read it?"

"Well, no. As I said, I had to warn you guys."

"_The warrior is back/He gives warning of attack_," quoted Mareth, leaning against a wall.

"I thought we were done!" Ripred yelled at the ceiling, gnashing his teeth. "I thought there were no more prophecies about Sandwich's beloved warrior!"

"Obviously there is one," Gregor said, sounding very self-satisfied.

"Way to point out what we already know, genius."

"Quiet!" Luxa said. "We need to solve this prophecy!" Suddenly, she ran at Gregor and squished him in a big bear hug. "Gregor, I'm so glad that you're back! Are you here to stay?"

"Yeah, I think I am this time."

Ripred sounded disgusted. "Spare me, please. See you at dinner." Shaking his furry head, he left.

"Oh, Gregor!"

"Oh, Luxa!" The two began kissing.

"Gregor..." Howard said forbiddingly.

The lovebirds pulled apart. "What?"

"Luxa. Is. Off. Limits."

"No, I'm not!" Luxa interrupted. "And stay out of it!"

* * *

"Gregor. Come here. I want to talk to you." It was later that evening, and Howard was acting really suspiciously.

"Why?" Even though Gregor orally protested, he still followed Howard into a hallway.

"Um, Gregor?" Howard looked nervous as he scooted close to Gregor. Gregor involuntarily inched away. What was Howard up to, and why was he acting so weird?

"Yes. what do you want, Howard? What is it?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure how to put this." After Howard said that, Gregor rolled his eyes. He guessed that he was in for another "Luxa's off limits, so stay away!" speech. Boy, was he wrong! "I believe that I... like men."

Gregor was floored! But he forced himself to appear nonchalant. Somehow, he even managed to make his voice sound normal. "So, you're gay?"

Howard tilted his head and pondered it for a moment. "I do suppose that members of the male species give me a certain joy, but-"

"No no no no no! In the Overland, if you like men, then you're called gay." Gregor was feeling more uncomfortable by the second.

"Oh. So... I'm not alone? There are more people called 'gay?' Like girls, for instance? Like Luxa? She likes men too, you know."

Of course Gregor knew that. "Uh, no. You're only called gay if you're also a guy. Girls that like girls are called lesbian."

Howard nodded. "Oh, alright. I just wanted to get it out in the open. So there are others like me?"

"Oh yeah, tons! Especially famous people. Yeah. Of course."

"That is all. I didn't want it to come in the middle of our friendship." Before Howard walked away, he thumped Gregor on the back. Gregor shuddered.

Gregor walked back to the museum to meet Luxa. His face was contorted so horribly that Luxa shrieked when she saw him. Then she calmed down. "Oh. Oh sorry, Gregor! What has happened? Are you okay?" She waved a hand in front of his face.

"Uh, I'm not so sure." Gregor felt really really really disturbed.

"Do you want to tell me what is wrong?"

"I just had a chat with Howard about his sexuality."

"Oh my Sandwich."

"I-I don't want to talk about it."


End file.
